| Autor: |
Rasmussen SL; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK.; Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.; Linacre College, University of Oxford, St. Cross Road, Oxford OX1 3JA, UK., Schrøder BT; Behavioral Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark., Berger A; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany., Macdonald DW; Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, The Recanati-Kaplan Centre, Department of Biology, University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Tubney, Abingdon OX13 5QL, UK., Pertoldi C; Department of Chemistry and Bioscience, Aalborg University, Fredrik Bajers Vej 7H, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark.; Aalborg Zoo, Mølleparkvej 63, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark., Briefer EF; Behavioral Ecology Group, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark., Alstrup AKO; Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark.; Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 165, 8200 Aarhus, Denmark. |
| Abstrakt: |
The populations of European hedgehog ( Erinaceus europaeus ) are in decline, and it is essential that research identifies and mitigates the factors causing this. Hedgehogs are increasingly sharing habitats with humans, being exposed to a range of dangers in our backyards. Previous research has documented that some models of robotic lawn mowers can cause harm to hedgehogs. This study explored the personality and behaviour of 50 live hedgehogs when facing an approaching, disarmed robotic lawn mower. By combining a novel arena and novel object test, we found that 27 hedgehogs could be categorised as "shy" and 23 as "bold", independently of sex and age. The encounter tests with a robotic lawn mower showed that the hedgehogs positioned themselves in seven different ways. Personality did not affect their reactions. Adult hedgehogs tended to react in a shyer manner, and the hedgehogs, generally, acted less boldly during their second encounter with the robotic lawn mower. Additionally, our results show that bold individuals reacted in a more unpredictable way, being more behaviourally unstable compared to the shy individuals. This knowledge will be applied in the design of a standardised hedgehog safety test, eventually serving to produce and approve hedgehog-friendly robotic lawn mowers. |
